Foreigner looks, sounds great at 40
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » For the majority of the fans that packed the lawn and almost filled the inside seating at Saratoga Performing Arts Center Tuesday night to see 80s rock back Foreigner the goal has been to look good at the age of 40.
It’s an even bigger accomplishment to sound as good as Foreigner did after 40 years as the trio of guitarists, keyboardist, drummer along with front man Kelly Hansen never let up on the hits that filled cars via cassettes, then CDs and now downloads from the 80s legends.
As the headlining act, closing out SPAC behind Hall of Famers Cheap Trick and Led Zeppelin cover child Jason Bonham Foreigner didn’t leave any doubts of saving the best for last.
Where the crowd had to wait for familiar classics from Cheap Trick at the end of its 15-song set to bring the crowd to its feet for an extended time with ‘I Want You to Want Me’ and ‘Dream Police,’ Foreigner had the crowd on their feet with a three-song opening set of familiar classics ‘Double Vision’, ‘Head Games’ and ‘Cold as Ice’.
Band founder Mick Jones not only knows how to play guitar and produce top selling albums for Foreigner along with Van Halen (5150) and Billy Joel (Storm Front), but he knows how to produce a rock concert line-up.
A short intro from Hansen led into one of the few slower moments with ‘Waiting for a Girl Like You,’ before giving the crowd the option of ‘Headknocker’ and ‘That Was Yesterday’ before the overwhelming favorite ‘Blue Morning, Blue Day.’
After a few comments by Hansen to the crowd, it was an easy transition into ‘Dirty White Boy’ and Foreigner’s first classic hit, ‘Feels Like the First Time’ followed by ‘Urgent.’
It was almost impossible to find a person on the crowd not willing to yell out the words to the continuous 80s classics.
Jones was able to highlight guitar playing prowess, highlighted during ‘Starrider’ before the previously adorned backstage curtain went from the newly familiar 40 within a circle, paying homage to the previous Foreigner 4 logo of the 20th century to the epic power ballad Juke Box Hero.
The surprises continued for fans Tuesday night with Hansen making his way to the middle of the SPAC crowd and raised in the air on a platform to belt out a few versus of the 1981 Foreigner 4 album before returning to the stage and keep the crowd on its feet.
For those female fans who enjoy long hair and quick fingers that slide up and down the neck of a Les Paul guitar Bruce Watson and bassist Jeff Pilson didn’t disappoint, but Tom Gimbel created numerous wows from the crowd when he traded in his guitar for the saxophone and regaled the crowd during ‘Juke Box Hero.’
Foreigner’s encore included their surprisingly only No. 1 hit ‘I Want to Know What Love Is,’ highlighted by the accompaniment of the Mayfield High School choir before closing out the night with ‘Hot Blooded.’
At first glance Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Cheap Trick could have been the headline act Tuesday night, instead were a perfect fit between Foreigner and Jason Bonham’s Led Zeppelin covers.
It was a powerful but at the same time subdued reception by the crowd for ‘Way of the World’, ‘Heart on the Line’ and ‘Oh,Candy.’
Front man Robin Zander, clad in his black leathers, TShirt, jacket and motorcycle hasn’t lost a chord after more than 35 years with Cheap Trick while lead guitarist Rick Nielsen was as entertaining as ever.
When eyes weren’t on Zander’s vocals they were focused on Nielsen’s ever so subtle antics.
As much as showman, front man and guitarist, Nielsen was there to please along with bassist Tom Peterson and Daxx Nielsen on drums.
For the fans in the pit if they left without a Nielsen pick it was their own fault as the entertaining guitar collector threw picks throughout each song and when that wasn’t enough, grabbed handfuls and tossed them out to the crowd.
Ever the showman fans were wowed by Nielsen’s double neck guitar and then had their jaws drop when he came out with his infamous Hamer Special fiveneck guitar to close out the middle act.
The crowd was welcomed with their own personal trip into the Hot Tub Time machine as Jason Bonham reeled off seven Led Zeppelin covers to start the already sweltering night under the sky at SPAC.
‘Immigrant Song’, ‘Ramble On’, ‘Black Dog’ and ‘Whole Lotta Love’ vocally set the stage for a memorable night.